Building arch construction



May 23, 1961 M. SAPP BUILDING ARCH CONSTRUCTION 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 2, 1954 INVENTOR. MAXWELL SnPP ATTaR/wsy,

May 23, 1961 M. sAPP 2,984,944

BUILDING ARCH CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 2, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Max WELL SHP HTTORNEY May 23, 1961 M. SAPP BUILDING ARCH CONSTRUCTION 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 2, 1954 INVENTOR. MAXWELL ,SHPP

ATTORNEY. 4

May 23, 1961 M. SAPP 2,984,944

BUILDING ARCH CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 2, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN V EN TOR.

MHXWEL Z2;

ATToRNEy.

United States Patent BUILDING ARCH CONSTRUCTION Maxwell Sapp, Culver City, Calif., assignor to Rosecrans Development Company, Los Augeles, Califi. a corporation of California Filed Aug. '2, 1954, Ser. No. 446,989

3 Claims. (Cl. 50--55) This invention relates to a building structure or construction, and particularly concerns a novel concrete arch construction for buildings, especially designed so that the arch is balanced, and so that the weight of the arch introduces a minimum of thrust load into the columns or other supports carrying the arch.

One of the difliculties encountered in the design of a concrete arch construction for buildings is that the arch often transmits an undersirable thrust load to the supporting members and walls on which the arch is positioned. This tends to weaken such supports or Walls and may also impart an outward slant thereto due to the outward thrust of the arch. Avoidance of such a condition is most desirable. Also, it is desirable that the forces to which the arch is subjected be balanced in such a manner that the ends or the feet of the arch do not tend to creep or move in relation to the seat on the column or Wall supporting the respective ends of the arch. In this respect, it is advantageous that the ends of the arch be immovably positioned with respect to the seats therefor. Further, another goal to be attained in the design of an arch construction of the foregoing type is the provision of additional and cooperating reinforcing structure in the walls or columns adjacent the seats supporting the ends of the arch and in the respective ends of the arch adjacent such seats, so as to properly support the weight of the arch and take the bending moments produced in the arch.

These and other objects and advantages are accomplished according to my invention. The invention provides a building arch construction employing a single means or tie rod which is in the axial plane of the reinforced concrete arch, so that the arch can be placed in uniform compression by adjusting the tension on the tie rod, e.g., by means of a turnbuckle. In this manner, the arch may be prestressed to some degree before erection, that is, before it is placed in position on the supporting columns or buttresses of a building. The outward thrust of the arch is thus taken up in the tension of the tie rod and turnbuckle, and does not introduce any substantial thrust load into the columns and footings for the ends of the arch.

My arch construction also includes a novel foot or end structure and a novel mating seat structure on the columns or supports for the arch, the combination of such foot and seat structure permitting the supports for the arch to properly take up the weight and any other forces transmitted to the supports by the arch. The foregoing structure also permits a connection between the arch footings and their mating seats on the supporting columns or walls to prevent any movement or turning of the footings on their seats. More specifically, each footing or end of the arch is shaped in the form of a pair of perpendicular intersecting horizontal and vertical chordal surfaces, an end plate being secured to each of the horizontal surfaces. A mating seat is provided on each of the supports to receive the ends of the arch, the seat also having intersecting horizontal and vertical surfaces, with a plate attached to the horizontal surface of 2,984,944 Patented May 23, 1961 each such seat. The above plates on the footings of the arch can be welded to the plates attached to the seats supporting the arch to provide a positive connection between the arch and the supports therefor.

A reinforcing member, preferably in the form of a hairpin shaped rod, is positioned in each of the support members adjacent the seats thereof and a similar member is positioned in each of the arch footings adjacent the horizontally positioned end plates thereof. The vertical chordal surfaces at the ends of the arch also have a plate attached thereto, and the tie rod is securely anchored at its opposite ends to such plates.

The invention Will be more readily understood from the description below of a preferred embodiment of the invention taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein- Fig. l is an elevational view of a building arch construction according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of an end of the arch of Fig. 1, shown partly in section;

Fig. 3 is a an elevation of the structure of Fig. 2, shown partly in section;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section of a column showing one end of the arch positioned in its mating seats on said column;

Fig. 6 is a section taken on line 66 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged view of one-half of the arch shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 8 is a modification of the structure shown in Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawings, the arch structure represented generally by the numeral 10 is supported by the side walls 11 on foundations 12, and the buttresses 13 spaced at intervals along such walls of a building structure. The buttresses are in turn supported by the members 12 of the building structure.

The arch member or truss 18 of the arch structure 10 is of concrete construction reinforced by rods 19 extending in two spaced parallel planes within the arch and adjacent the top and bottom lateral edges 20 and 21, respectively, of the arch. The rods 19 have curved portions 19' positioned adjacent the ends 22 of the arch, the curved portions 19' generally following the outer contour of such ends 22. Rods 19 are laced or connected at intervals with crosswires or ties 23.

The opposite ends or heels 22 of the arch 18 are formed by a pair of intersecting chordal surfaces 25 and 26 (see Fig. 3), one such surface 25 being in a horizontal plane and the other in a vertical plane. A metal plate 27 is secured to the surface 25 by means of a hairpin shaped rod 28, embedded in the end 22 of the arch. Rod 28 is welded at 29 to plate 27 (see Fig. 6), and is located in a vertical plane normal to plate 27. The hairpin rod 28 has a dual function in that it not only serves to anchor plate 27 to surface 25, but also aids in reinforcing the heel or end 22 of the arch. The vertical chordal surface 26 has a recess 29' therein for receiving a metal plate 30, the outer surface of which is flush with chordal surface 26.

A single tie rod 31 connects the opposite ends of the arch 18, the tie rod being positioned in the axial plane of the arch. Rod 31 extends parallel to the horizontal chordal plates 27 and is rotatably received in an aperture 32 in the ends 22 of the arch and passes through an aperture 33 in about the center of the vertical chordal plates 30. The outwardly extending ends of the rod 31 are threaded as at 34 to receive a nut 35 to secure the tie rod against longitudinal movement. Rod hangers 36 are suspended from the arch member 18 at spaced intervals therealong, and are connected at their lower ends to the tie rod 31 for supporting same intermediate its ends. The hangers 36 are attached to the arch by any suitable means; for example, the hangers may be connected to eyes or other fasteners 37 connected to the arch. A turnhandle 38 is connected to tie rod 31 intermediate the ends thereof. The tie rod functions to prevent spreading of the arch, and the turnbuckle 38 and nuts 35 may be adjusted to vary the tension on the tie rod.

The columns or buttresses 13 each have in cooperation with their contiguous wall 11, a seat 40, the ends or footings 22 of each arch 18 resting in such seats on a pair of opposed buttresses, said seats being located at approximately the same height above the fioor 14. The seats 40 are each formed by a pair of intersecting horizontal and vertical surfaces 41 and 42, respectively (see Fig. Surface 42 constitutes the inner surface of a recess formed in wall 11 just above buttress 13, the recess having a horizontally extending bottom 43 and an inclined upwardly extending top 44. Surface 41 of the seat 41') consists of the top surface 45 of the buttress 13 and the bottom surface 43 of the recess in Wall 11, surfaces 43 and 45 being contiguous and in alignment with each other to form essentially a single surface 41. A metal plate 46 is secured over surface 41 by means of a hairpin shaped rod 47 similar to rod 28, and rod 47 is being welded at 48 to plate 46, and embedded in the concrete buttress 13. It is seen that hairpin rod 47 extends downwardly into column 13 along the same vertical plane as hairpin rod 28, such plane being normal to plate 46. As in the case of hairpin rod 28, hairpin rod 47 functions both to anchor plate 46 to surface 41 and to reinforce the upper portion of the buttress 13 adjacent plate 46. The vertical surface 42 of the seat 40 has a recess 49 disposed centrally therein, the inner surface of which is bored at 50, recess 49 and bore 50 being provided for a purpose hereinafter pointed out.

Prior to the erection of the arch member 18 on the supports or seats 40 atop a pair of opposed buttresses 13, nuts 35 and turnbuckle 38 on the tie rod31 can be adjusted so that the arch is subjected to uniform compressive forces along the length of the arch balanced by the tension in the rod when the arch is in position. By use of a single tie rod positioned across the arch as described above, and by employing the vertical plates 30 imbedded in opposite ends of the arch for balancing of such compressive forces of the arch by the tension induced in the tie rod, the resultant forces at the ends 22 of the arch are thus balanced by the rod tension which is directed essentially inwardly, and substantially no outward thrust is exerted by the arch against the walls or columns 13 when the arch is seated thereon.

In positioning the arch in seats 22, the vertical surfaces 26 at the ends of the arch are brought into abutting relation with the vertical surfaces 42 on opposing Walls 11. In so doing, the nuts 35 at the ends of the tie rod 31 are received in the opposed recesses 49 and the ends of the tie rod are disposed in the bores 50. The ends 55' of the upper surface 55 of arch 18 mate with the inclined upper surfaces 44 formed in opposite walls 11, and plates 27 secured to the lower horizontal chordal surfaces 25 on the footings 22 of the arch, are welded at 56 to the respective plates 46 of the seats 40. Thus, the footings 22 of the arch are securely positioned in such seats, and it is seen that these footings and the mating seats are so designed that the former are locked in the seats 40 so that the ends of the arch are unable to move or slide out of position, for example, inwardly, regardless as to the amount of inward compression to which the arch is subjected in response to the tension placed on the tie rod 31.

Also, it will be observed that the provision of the vertical reinforcing hairpin rods 28 and 47 closely adjacent to each other in the footings 22 of the arch and the upper ends of the buttresses 13, as shown in Fig. 5, enables the ends of the arch and the upper portions of the buttresses adjacent seats 40 to readily absorb the weight of the arch and any thrust or movement exerted on the ends of the arch and the buttresses by the compressive force to which the arch is subjected. Thus, practically the entire weight of the arch is carried by the colums 13 with essentially no outer thrust exerted against walls 11. The positioning of the hairpin rods 28 and 47 in the same vertical plane tends to improve these strength characteristics.

Each arch 18 has anchored to the upper surface 55 thereof by means of bolts 57 a number of wooden curved top plates 58 overlying each other, and shown as three in number in Fig. 4. Spaced at intervals along opposite sides 59 of the arch are pairs of aligned joist hangers 60 anchored to the arch by suitable means, such as nails (not shown). Joists or rafters 61 extend transversely between adjacent arch members, the ends of such joists being secured on joist hangers on by means of nails 60. The joists serve as a support for a cover member 62, over which a roofing 63 (see Fig. 5) of any suitable type may be laid, such roofing being bent at its end portions 64, to overlie the inner upper surfaces 64' of the walls 11, and terminating in a horizontally bent portion 65 secured by suitable means (not shown) to the upper horizontal surfaces 66 of such walls. End rafters or ledgers 67 are secured to walls 11 between the ends of adjacent arches by means of bolts 68 and nuts 69. The ends of cover member 62 are secured as by nailing to rafters 67.

Fig. 8 shows a modification of the structure of Fig. 4. In this embodiment the hangers 60 of Fig. 4 are omitted and the joists 70 over which thecovering 71 is placed, extend continuously across the tops of the respective arches, the lower edges 72 of the joists being in contact with the upper one of the wood plates 58 extending along the upper surface of each arch.

While as shown in Fig. 5 of the above described embodiment, seat 40 is formed in part in the wall 11 by providing a recess 42 therein, it is understood that the entire seat may be formed in the columns or buttresses .13 without recessing the walls, e.g. by providing thicker columns. In this case, actually the entire weight of the arch will be carried by the columns alone.

While I have described a particular embodiment of my invention for the purpose of illustration, it should be understood that various modifications and adaptations thereof may be made within the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a building structure, a concrete arch, columns supporting the ends of said arch, an adjustable tensioning member connected to the ends of said arch, each end of said arch having a horizontal lower surface, a horizontal seat on each of said columns, a first relatively flat metal bearing plate integral with each of said columns and providing a sliding bearing surface for each of said seats, a second relatively flat metal bearing plate integral with said arch at each said horizontal lower surface and providing a sliding bearing surface for each of said horizontal lower surfaces of said arch, said arch being supported by said columns with said second plates disposed in face to face contact with the respective first plates for facilitating relative sliding adjustment between the ends of said arch and said columns during erection of said building structure, and means fixedly securing the first plates to the respective second plates in adjusted relative position against further relative sliding movement.

2. In a building structure as set forth in claim 1, each end of said arch further having a vertical surface intersecting said horizontal lower surface, a third metal plate integral with each said vertical surface, said adjustable tensioning member passing through said third plates, and securing means on said tensioning member flictionally abutting said third plates.

3. In a building structure as set forth in claim 1, said means fixedly securing the first plates to the respective 5 second plates being a weld between the first and respec- 1,983,874 tive second plates. 2,214,049 2,287,370 References Cited in the file of this patent 2,525,974

UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 1,761,306 McKeown June 3, 1930 494,627 1,952,887 OReilly Mar. 27, 1934 866,217 1,968,096 Pratt July 31, 1934 958,819

6 Pratt Dec. 11, 1934 Falk Sept. 10, 1940 Becker June 23, 1942 Taggart Oct. 17, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Oct. 28, 1938 France 1941 France 1949 

